Scientific study

Zoos are often called "living laboratories"; this term reinforces the fact that animal observations and experiments in captivity can be very valuable. In fact, most of our knowledge of mammals has come from captive studies. For instance, black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes), extinct in the wild, are being re-introduced through artificial insemination. The oryx have also recently been poached to near extinction again and their numbers are just starting to increase in the wild. Also, it is often more practical, easier to control external factors, and more scientifically useful to study mammals in captivity. In an effort to encourage scientific study in zoological parks and provide funding for these programs, the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and Disney's Animal Kingdom have established the Conservation Endowment Fund. It pays for many conservation and research studies in captivity and in the wild each year. The Zoological Society of London in the United Kingdom has supported research since the late nineteenth century.

A Beginner's Guide to Healthy Pregnancy. If you suspect, or know, that you are pregnant, we ho pe you have already visited your doctor. Presuming that you have confirmed your suspicions and that this is your first child, or that you wish to take better care of yourself d uring pregnancy than you did during your other pregnancies; you have come to the right place.